


I See Sparks Fly

by shotgunkitten



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M, Future Fic, Some people should not try to play matchmaker, Witch AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 13:27:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29436780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shotgunkitten/pseuds/shotgunkitten
Summary: Being single was okay and she didn’t mind being on her own. Not at all. At least that’s what Sabrina told herself as she looked around the table at yet another Spellman family dinner. But with everyone in a happy relationship, she couldn't help but long for the same - probably also because Lupercalia and Valentine's Day were fast approaching.However, she really shouldn't have said as much to her family; because suddenly everyone's a matchmaker and every option seems worse than the last.
Relationships: Nicholas Scratch/Sabrina Spellman
Comments: 7
Kudos: 58





	I See Sparks Fly

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> I had this plot bunny in my head for a while (even before part 4 dropped and gave us a more painful version of the initial idea) and decided to finally get this little story out there. 
> 
> This also works as a "5 times Sabrina didn't hang out with the right guy and one time she did" kind of deal, even if that wasn't intended :-) Have fun and let me know what you think?

_There I was again tonight_   
_Forcing laughter, faking smiles_   
_Same old tired, lonely place_   
_Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy_

_(Taylor Swift - Enchanted)_

Being single was okay and she didn’t mind being on her own. Not at all. At least that’s what Sabrina told herself as she looked around the table at another Spellman family dinner. Mambo Marie was whispering something into Zelda’s ear that made the witch smile just a little bit as she lowered her eyes and took a drag from her cigarette. Hilda was giggling about a story from the shop Cee told her as she looked at him like he hung the stars. 

Sabrina couldn’t help but smile – those two were so heartwarmingly cute and although they were together for decades now, they were still just as in love and smitten as they were in the beginning. The mere fact that Cee had decided to not have the incubus expelled because the demon would keep him alive and he would be able to spend more time with Hilda was proof that they belonged together. But reopening the shop had probably also rekindled the flames a bit, the younger witch guessed. 

The coven had relocated back to Greendale only two years ago after spending several decades in a small town a few hours further north. Just enough time for all the mortals to forget about any of them or the wheels of time to take care of that in a more permanent fashion. It had brought about a wave of nostalgia for Sabrina at first as she wandered the streets of her hometown again, but by now she had gotten used to the changes mixing with her memories. At least she had her family and even Roz, who had accepted her witch nature and converted to the Church of Night. 

Prudence’s chuckle brought Sabrina back to the present and she had to stop herself from rolling her eyes when she watched the other witch and her cousin feed each other some of the chocolate-covered fruit Hilda had brought out for desert in addition to the cake she had made. She was happy for her cousin, really, but that didn’t mean that she didn’t wish they’d not undress each other with their eyes at the dinner table. 

She shook her head a little, unable to stop the small sigh that escaped her as she guided her attention back to her cake. She was fine being single, but with everyone in her family having found a partner and even Roz in a new relationship with a warlock named James who had joined their coven a decade ago, Sabrina couldn’t help but long for the same thing. A partner, someone she could lean on. Being on her own had been great for a while, but at 96 years old, she started to miss the feelings involved in a new love, those butterflies when that person was near, the giddiness at the prospect of seeing them, the excitement of a first kiss, the inner peace as they curled up together. 

“What’s got you all glum, cousin?” Ambrose asked, eyebrow slightly arched. He had heard her sigh and noticed the forlorn expression on her face. 

“I’m not glum,” she answered, shaking her head. 

“Melancholic, then,” he argued. 

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “I’m not melancholic, either.” 

“Sure. You’re all sunshine and rainbows, Sabrina. That’s why you’re massacring your cake,” Prudence threw in. 

That got Hilda’s attention. “What is it, love?” She eyed her niece, quickly coming to the conclusion that something was definitely bothering her. 

“It’s nothing, auntie, don’t worry about it.” When her aunt’s gaze didn’t waver, she sighed again. “I was just thinking. Maybe it’s because Lupercalia is only a bit more than a month away and shops are already starting to decorate for Valentine’s Day, but … I think it might be time to start dating again?” It would definitely be nice to have the same thing everyone around her had. 

“Does this mean that you want to participate in Lupercalia this year?” Zelda asked, surprise coloring her voice. “You haven’t in over a decade,” she remarked, her distaste for her niece’s dismissal of the holiday clear. 

“Because I don’t see the appeal of having sex with a random warlock because of some stupid matching that gets rigged all the time,” Sabrina argued. “But if it was on my own terms, I would participate if I met someone that I liked.” 

“Well, there are some strapping young warlocks in the coven, I’m sure we’ll find a suitable candidate for you to spend the holiday with,” the older of her aunts answered. 

Sabrina wanted to bang her head against the table. Why for Satan’s sake had she said anything? “Aunt Zee, I just told you, I don’t want someone to just spend Lupercalia with.” 

“Of course not. You want someone who you can have a bunch of little witches and warlocks with down the line,” Prudence said, earning a glare from Sabrina. 

“What’s so bad about wanting love and a relationship? You’ve been with Ambrose for decades,” more or less, at least. They ventured out on their own once in a while, but in the end they always found their way to each other again. 

“How about a nice mortal boy, love? You don’t have to participate in Lupercalia, you could always just spend a nice Valentine’s Day with someone you like,” Hilda suggested with a smile as Cee patted her hand. 

Ambrose grinned. “And there’s always Melvin. He and Dorcas are broken up, so you might as well snatch him up. From what I heard, he’s holding out on everyone with those sweater vests.” 

She really shouldn’t have said anything. 

*** * * * ***

A week later, Sabrina sat at the bar at Dorian’s, wondering what the heaven she was doing as she listened to Frederick – a relatively new coven member that Zelda had somehow convinced to meet up with her. Sabrina didn’t know the specifics of what her aunt had said, but there had been a certain glint in his eyes when he had asked her out after mass the other night. 

In the beginning, she had thought that her aunt might have actually found someone she could be genuinely interested in. He was charming and nice enough to look at with his light brown hair, green eyes and the neatly kept beard. But the longer he spoke, the more his charm wore off and he started boasting about all the different witches he had spent Lupercalia with over the years, as if that meant anything to her. Sabrina had no desire to be another name on that list, that much was clear. The upcoming holiday seemed to be his only topic anyway, not exactly a conversation that led her to wanting to spend more time with him. 

“Your aunt mentioned that you opted out of Lupercalia for a while, why is that?” he asked. 

“I guess I just don’t really like the concept,” she answered with a small shrug. 

“What’s there not to like? You don’t even have to look for a partner, you get someone assigned through participation,” Frederick said, his brow furrowed. 

“Exactly, that feels way too impersonal to me. It’s almost like a business transaction,” Sabrina countered, shuddering at the thought. 

He shrugged. “It kind of is, if you think about it. You scratch my itch, I scratch yours.” 

She shuddered on the inside at his way of looking at this. No. Absolutely not. Sabrina refused to let herself be reduced to that and it was the last straw for her. “Sorry, Frederick, but I don’t think there will be any scratching happening between us,” she declared as she grabbed her wallet out of her purse, calling for Dorian. He looked at her knowingly and waved her off when she wanted to pay for her drink. 

“Thanks, man,” Frederick said, his tone slightly miffed at Sabrina’s blunt refusal. Who did she think she was? There were plenty of other witches in the coven, after all. 

“Oh, this is only valid for Sabrina, you are paying,” Dorian answered with an innocent look on his face. 

A few minutes later, she walked out of the bar with the mixture of happiness and frustration. She should have told her aunt Zelda to stay out of it. 

*** * * * ***

“Auntie, I’m fine, really,” Sabrina insisted as Hilda put a cupcake down in front of her that she definitely hadn’t ordered. After that date a few days before, her aunt had made it her mission to cheer her up, even if it wasn’t necessary. It wasn’t like she had gotten her heart broken or anything – she had just once more realized that Lupercalia had aspects that decidedly weren’t her cup of tea. 

“I didn’t say you weren’t, love,” Hilda answered. “This is a new flavor I want you to taste, that is all.” 

She eyed her aunt suspiciously as she bit into the cupcake. “Auntie, that’s a classic chocolate cupcake,” Sabrina said as she put it down again on the small plate. 

“We used different chocolate!” 

Sabrina rolled her eyes but humored her aunt. It came from a good place, after all, if a little overbearing. “Well, I like it. You should stick to the new chocolate.” 

“Oh, I didn’t make that cupcake, love, that was Javier, the cook Cee hired a few weeks ago,” Hilda disclosed. “He’s also a talented baker … oh there he is!” Hilda perked up when she saw the young man and waved him over, ignoring the way her niece lowered her eyes at her. “Javi, this is my niece, Sabrina. I just gave her one of your cupcakes and she thought I made it, so that’s a good sign! Sabrina, this is Javier.” 

“Nice to meet you,” Sabrina said, forcing herself to smile. Her aunt obviously hadn’t given up the notion that she should lean into her mortal side and go for a Valentine instead, even if the younger witch had argued that it wasn’t a good idea. She had arrived at the conclusion that Zelda had a point about relationships with mortals back in her teen years – those were a recipe for heartbreak because they couldn’t last. Hilda’s marriage to Cee was the exception to the rule, but then again, Cee was playing host to an incubus so that didn’t exactly count, anyway. 

“Nice to meet you, too,” Javier said, wiping his hand on his apron before shaking Sabrina’s. 

“Oh, someone is waving me over,” Hilda exclaimed. “Javi, you’re on break now, aren’t you? Why don’t you keep Sabrina company for a bit?” she suggested, already moving to the table that had flagged her down. 

They looked at each other for a moment, neither knowing what to say. 

“So … this is awkward,” Javier finally broke the silence. 

Sabrina nodded, grimacing a little. “You can say that again. Sorry about my aunt.” 

He smiled – a nice enough smile, sure, just not the kind that made her stomach flip. “Don’t worry about it. She has been singing your praises for a few days now and I was a bit curious to meet the woman she was talking about so much.” 

She sighed. “And again, sorry about that. My aunt means well, but she sometimes overshoots a little.” 

Javier waved her apology off. “It’s alright, my grandmother is like that, too. Every time I bring a girl home, she starts planning a wedding.” 

“Sounds exhausting,” Sabrina said with a small smile. At least that was something she didn’t have to worry about. Praise Satan for small mercies. As she looked at him, she noticed that he wore a cross around his neck and had to stop herself from grimacing. What had her aunt been thinking, sending a guy her way who was religious enough to wear a cross for all the world to see? That would mix well with their own worship of the Dark Lord. 

“It is, but I don’t have the heart to tell her to stop,” he answered with a shrug. “Sabrina … it’s pretty obvious why your aunt has been talking about you nonstop and left us here in the most un-subtle way I’ve ever witnessed. Would you like to go on a date?” 

She bit the inside of her cheek. This was what she had dreaded from the moment he had stepped up to her table. When she saw her aunt giving her an encouraging smile, she knew what to say. “Javier, I’m sure you’re a really nice guy, but please don’t feel obligated to do this just because my aunt has been pushy. To be honest, I’m not really looking for a relationship at the moment, despite what my aunt might have told you.” A little white lie didn’t hurt in this case. 

Before he could answer, a female voice that was an absolute hellsent interrupted them. “Brina!” 

“Hey, Roz!” Sabrina jumped at the chance to talk to her best friend as she approached the table. 

“Oh, sorry, am I interrupting something?” Roz asked, an eyebrow slightly arched. 

“No, you’re not,” Javier jumped in. “I should get back to work anyway. It was nice to meet you, Sabrina.” He quickly left, the door with the sign ‘employees only’ swinging shut after him. 

“What was that?” 

The witch shot her friend a look as she sat down on the other side of the table. “The awkward ending of Aunt Hilda trying to set me up with a mortal.” 

“Do you want to get back into the dating game or was that just your aunt being, well, your aunt?” Roz wanted to know. 

“I want to, but … not with a mortal. That just doesn’t work, too many secrets and there’s also the aging thing.” Sabrina picked at her the paper wrapping of her cupcake. 

“Let me talk to James, maybe he has a cute single friend,” she offered. 

“Sure. Can’t be worse than what Hilda came up with.” 

*** * * * ***

And it really wasn’t so bad, Sabrina thought as she walked along the banks of Sweetwater River while her date talked. Or at least it could have been worse. He had talked a lot over the course of the night, readily sharing his opinions on a wide variety of things. Finnan was interesting enough, she supposed – at 204 years old, he had seen a lot of the world and many stories to tell. 

However, he didn’t seem too interested in the tales she had to tell. Granted, she hadn’t fought in a World War, but she had participated in the world’s first witch exorcism. And she had helped to restore order to the Church of Night after Blackwood had tried to go full Jonestown and poisoned a large number of coven members, resulting in a disturbing number of losses the coven was still recovering from. Sabrina wouldn’t even mind telling him about her time at Oxford, where she had stepped into her cousin’s footsteps. 

Instead, she was currently listening to the story of how Finnan’s poor familiar, a parrot named Arthur, had once lost all his feathers after a spell gone wrong. She cringed at the thought. 

“Were you able to grow the feathers back?” Sabrina found herself asking, more for the familiar’s sake than anything else. 

“They had to grow back naturally. Arthur had to wear a sweater in the meantime,” Finnan answered. 

She snorted at the mental image. “Poor guy.” 

“It wasn’t so bad. I was staying in Australia at the time, so Arthur wasn’t cold. He just looked like a plucked chicken for a while there.” 

“Australia is still on my list of places to visit,” Sabrina said. 

He shrugged. “It’s nice enough, I guess. Nice beaches, at any rate. But I enjoyed my time in Mexico more. I had the greatest time exploring the Mayan and Aztec temples there …" he started, losing himself in another story. 

Sabrina was starting to think that maybe she should have just accepted being single. 

*** * * * ***

“I’m glad we did this, Melvin,” Sabrina said as they walked out of the Paramount, wearing matching smiles. They had watched a screening of _What We Do in the Shadows_ , which had become a cult classic over the years. 

“So am I, Sabrina. I haven’t seen that movie in ages,” he agreed, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all. 

“Besides, it’s just something else to watch a movie at the cinema. Even if it’s a movie that doesn’t rely on a big sound system or fancy tech,” she added. 

Melvin nodded. “I think it’s just the whole experience. Getting snacks and drinks, the light dimming, the previews … it’s just something else than sitting down to watch a movie at home.” 

“Thank you!” She exclaimed. “I’ve been trying to tell my aunts for decades but they still claim it doesn’t make a difference.” 

“Sorry, Sabrina, but your aunts are clueless. And so is Dorcas, because she always says the same thing. Simply because it’s mortal technology, if you ask me.” 

Sabrina bit her lip to keep herself from responding. Melvin had been doing that a lot – talking about Dorcas. Too much, really. Their latest breakup had happened only a few weeks ago and it was obvious that it was still too soon for him to be on a date with someone else. But Sabrina wasn’t mad or upset about it. While she liked Melvin as a friend, she couldn’t really see herself in a relationship with him. Although Ambrose had been right: the warlock was packing a nice set of arms under his sweater vests, she had gotten that much when she had wrapped her arm around his as they walked into the Paramount earlier. 

“I guess growing up at the academy under Blackwood’s guidance didn’t exactly help with the love for mortal technology,” she said. At least that’s the impression she always got from Prudence, even if the other witch had mellowed out a bit. Most likely thanks to Ambrose’s influence. 

“It didn’t. Can’t say that I miss him. I like how the coven has changed since your aunt took over.” 

She smiled at that. From the start, Melvin had been one of the warlocks who had supported her aunt’s ambitions to take over the position of high priestess and the coven had slowly but surely rebuilt after everything they had been through, thanks to Blackwood. Zelda had reverted back to Edward Spellman’s manifesto, at least to some degree, and banished some of the more archaic practices once again. While the Church of Night still had a long way to go, it was a lot more progressive than it had been, drawing in new members. 

“I think Aunt Zee was born to lead. She’s in her element when she can boss people around, at least,” Sabrina joked. 

“Don’t let her hear you say that,” Melvin warned. 

“She loves me too much to kill me,” she answered with a small shrug and an innocent smile, making him laugh. 

“You’re probably right.” He checked his watch. “It’s still pretty early, want to grab a burger at Dr. Cerberus’s?” 

Sabrina nodded. “Sounds like a good idea.” Even if this thing with Melvin wasn’t going to lead anywhere, she at least got to hang out with a friend. 

*** * * * ***

_You touch me once and it's really something_   
_You find I'm even better than you imagined I would be_   
_I'm on my guard for the rest of the world_   
_But with you I know it's no good_   
_And I could wait patiently but I really wish you would_

_(Taylor Swift – Sparks Fly)_

Nick cursed quietly as he looked at the message on his hand. When he had mentioned to Ambrose and Prudence that he was looking to relocate, they had proposed their own hometown of Greendale. He had met them years ago when they had traveled and stayed a few weeks in London, where he had lived at the time, and they had hit it off right away. So when he had decided that it was time for him to move back to the States, it had felt like a good idea to reach out to them, his initial plan just to let them know that he was moving. 

When they had brought up Greendale as an option, he hadn’t really thought twice – moving to a town where he already knew people sounded like a nice change. Having a coven at his fingertips also couldn’t hurt, especially one that wasn’t as interested in the more archaic practices so many covens still held high. There was only so much cannibalism he could opt out of before it got too much over the years. The Church of Night under the leadership of Zelda Spellman sounded much more like his kind of thing. More progressive. Less steaks that had gone by the name of Zachariah or Claire. 

He had moved only a week ago, just in time to get settled when Lupercalia came around in two weeks. Now all he needed to do was get involved with the coven and he would be all set, something he had hoped Prudence and Ambrose would help him with. Nick had looked forward to seeing them again in person, but that wasn’t happening, at least not tonight. Prudence’s message had been crystal clear about what she and Ambrose were up to instead and that they wouldn’t be able to make it after all. He was tempted to ask them if they wanted company as he languidly let his gaze drift over the bar, catching at a table across the room where a pretty blonde looked bored out of her mind while the guy across from her spoke. The polite smile on her face was forced, he could tell even from the distance, but the warlock didn’t seem to notice. Nick decided to watch them for a bit, having found a new source of entertainment for the time being. 

Across the room, Sabrina wanted to bang her head against the table just to feel anything else than bored. What the heaven had Prudence been thinking? And why, in the name of everything that was unholy, had she trusted Prudence in the first place? The guy across from her was probably the most boring warlock to walk the planet. He was a member of the Church of Perdition a few towns over and Sabrina was almost glad she hadn’t run into him before – simply because it meant that she hadn’t needed to avoid him like she would have to do from now on in case she saw him anywhere. 

He was handsome enough, she supposed, at least if someone was into the whole surfer style. But then he had started talking and she wished Dorian would just keep the drinks coming of his own volition since she couldn’t exactly wave him over every couple of minutes. She turned slightly, trying to sneak a glance at the clock on the mantlepiece of the fireplace nearby. Sabrina inwardly cursed. She was only here twenty minutes and it already felt like hours. Did she appreciate that the warlock across from her had actually picked up a mortal hobby? Absolutely. Was she bored out of her mind by his never-ending string of words about the joys of sculpting? Heaven, yes. 

She discreetly looked around the room trying to see if there was anyone she knew that could save her. On one of the sofas, she saw Melvin chatting up Dorcas – so that was a no, also regarding Lupercalia. Not that she had really thought about pursuing that option anyway. She liked Melvin, but the spark she was looking for was just missing on their date and obviously he thought so, too. Dorian wasn’t going to be any help, either, he was busy flirting with a couple at the end of the bar. How long did she have to stay before she could leave without being rude? Her eyes traveled further and landed on a dark-haired warlock she had never seen around before. Who was looking straight at her as well, with an amused little smirk tugging on his lips. Had he been watching her? And who was he to begin with? Why was he looking their way? And why did she find the combination of his smirk and the glint in his dark eyes so intriguing? 

“Don’t you think, Sabrina?” 

Her gaze snapped back to her date. Shit. “Oh, absolutely,” she agreed to whatever he had been saying, hoping for the best. 

“It’s just a different kind of magic to create something with your hands,” he continued. “There’s just so much peace to be found in creating life-like creatures from clay.” 

“Mhm.” Sabrina picked up her glass and took a big sip. Why had Prudence felt the need to torture her like this? Weren’t they past that? Maybe even sort of friends? She really should have known better than to trust the other witch when she had oh-so-readily offered to set her up on a date. Especially after the last few she had been on. 

“I once made my own ten-inch-tall demon army, then enchanted them to move about. It was the greatest thing.” 

“Sounds cool.” Maybe someone could knock her unconscious. Anything, really, to get her out of there. 

“Do you want to see it? We could go to my place later.” He brushed a hand through his blond curls to pull them back from his face and let his eyes travel over her, not even trying to hide it. “I could model a sculpture after you.” 

She almost choked on her drink, coughing as she put her glass back on the table. So not happening. _He_ would have to knock her unconscious for that and Sabrina had enough faith in Dorian that he would stop that abduction from happening. “Why don’t we wait and see where this date takes us, hm?” she offered instead. 

At the bar, Nick couldn’t help but pity the witch. The bored look on her face became more prominent with each passing minute, the smile more forced with every answer she needed to provide. He wanted to know what her real smile looked like instead. 

“I see you have spotted something of interest,” the barkeeper noted as he slid up next to him. 

“Doesn’t he see how bored and uncomfortable she is?” Nick responded. He had still been struggling to wrap his mind around the fact that the barkeeper was none other than Dorian Gray, the man who had inspired one of the great literary works of the mortal world. However, his focus now was elsewhere, with the platinum blonde witch across the room. “And why doesn’t she just walk away?” That was always an option, wasn’t it? 

“Our dear Ms. Spellman over there is too polite to just walk away. Or, walk away just yet, I suppose, they haven’t gotten here that long before you graced us with your presence,” Dorian answered. 

“How much longer is she going to put herself … wait, Spellman?” he interrupted himself. “As in Ambrose Spellman?” 

“You know him?” When Nick simply nodded, Dorian continued. “She’s his cousin. Sabrina.” 

He had heard that name before. Ambrose had mentioned her a couple of times, had even said they should meet once he was settled in. Nick looked back and saw the guy brush his hair back and the witch – Sabrina, he reminded himself – cough after taking a sip from her drink. A plan started to form in his head. She shouldn’t have to waste an evening bored with a guy she clearly wasn’t interested in. And he also liked Ambrose too much to let his cousin suffer like this. Even more so when said cousin looked as cute as she did. Nick grabbed his wallet and put a few bills on the bar. “That should be enough to cover my drink. And hers,” he told Dorian, who quirked an eyebrow in amusement. 

“It is. Should I expect trouble?” The immortal warlock asked. 

“No, just an escape,” Nick responded as he put on his black jacket. He took a deep breath before walking over. As he got closer, he heard the other man ramble about … clay? That explained the almost pained expression on the young witch’s face. “Sabrina! Ambrose told me I would find you here!” 

Her head snapped up at the more than welcome interruption, the happiness about someone taking pity instantly replaced by confusion. The warlock who had occupied a spot at the bar earlier stood in front of her, knew her name and her cousin’s - but she had no idea who he was. “Did he now?” she asked. “He didn’t tell me you were going to be here,” she added, carefully phrasing her words. And it wasn’t even a lie. Her cousin hadn’t mentioned sending anyone here as backup in case the date went south, especially not a stranger. 

“I asked him not to, I wanted to surprise you. It’s been way too long since you visited me in London,” Nick answered, trying to give her a hint how he knew her cousin. If she was as clever as Ambrose had told him, she would hopefully pick up on it. 

London. Ambrose had been there a few years ago. Something in her head clicked. This was the friend he had mentioned moving from London to Greendale, but she couldn’t for the life of her remember his name. “Well, I am surprised!” She quickly got out of her armchair. On a whim, she hugged the admittedly handsome stranger to sell the story that they knew each other, little shocks running through her when he wrapped his arms around her as well. 

Her cousin had not exaggerated, she really had caught on quick and taken it even further with her reaction – and she had seemingly already forgotten about the other warlock who stared at them, blinking in confusion about what was happening, no doubt. “Sorry for interrupting this, but Ambrose told me to bring you back home – he invited some people for an impromptu get together,” Nick said once they let go of each other. The real smile that lit up her face was a lot more beautiful than the fake one earlier, especially up close, and he wanted to see more of it. 

“In that case … Ambrose hates waiting, we should get going,” she answered, already reaching for her coat when her eyes landed on her date. “I’m so sorry for cutting this short, but family … you know how it is,” Sabrina supplied. When she went to grab the coat, it was gone. She frowned until she noted that the stranger was holding it for her to slip into. She smiled a little to herself and accepted his help with a mumbled thanks. 

“Well, maybe we can repeat this? I could teach you the basics,” the blond warlock offered. 

“Sure, uhm … just ask Prudence, she has all my contact information. It was nice meeting you, Cal, but we really have to go,” Sabrina said as she pulled the strap of her purse over her head. “Bye!” She grabbed the stranger’s hand and almost dragged him out of Dorian’s Gray Room. 

“But … that’s not even my name!" the warlock exclaimed, watching them go. 

Outside, Sabrina turned around, looking at the dark-haired warlock who had saved her sanity. Or what was left of it anyway. “I don’t know you, but you know my cousin and he mentioned a friend moving here, so I’m going to assume that’s you. Thank you for giving me an excuse to get out of there.” 

Nick laughed at her outburst. “You looked miserable. I couldn’t let you suffer.” His gaze dropped to their hands, her grip still strong. “I’m Nicholas Scratch, by the way. But please call me Nick.” 

She followed his gaze and her eyes widened as she quickly let go. “Nice to meet you, Nick, I’m Sabrina Spellman. But you already knew that.” A thought crossed her mind. “How did you know? Did Ambrose really send you?” 

He shook his head. “Dorian dropped your last name when I asked him why you didn’t just walk away. Told me you were too polite to do that. I asked about Ambrose and Gray connected the dots for me.” 

“I guess I should tip Dorian really well the next time I’m here,” Sabrina noted, looking at the door. “Oh no, I didn’t even pay for my drink on the way out.” She really, _really_ didn’t want to go back in there, but she had to. 

Nick grinned. “Don’t worry about it, already taken care of.” 

She raised an eyebrow. “What? You paid for my drink?” 

“I had a feeling you wanted to get out of there fast,” he replied with a small shrug. “Hey, it’s okay,” the warlock quickly added when she reached for her purse. 

“Nick, no -” Sabrina started to protest. He had gotten her out of there, she wouldn’t also let him pay for her drink. 

“Sabrina, it’s fine,” he repeated, putting his hand over hers to stop her when she moved to open her purse. “Really. Besides, he would have probably let you off the hook.” 

She laughed at that. “Oh, you don’t know Dorian yet, he wouldn’t have.” At least not a second time in a matter of weeks, anyway. “And … fine. Thanks for the drink, then.” 

Nick couldn’t help but smile. Her laugh was contagious and he was fascinated by the way her eyes shone. “I guess I’ll get to know him soon enough since I live here now. And you’re welcome.” 

“I guess you will. It’s the only witch-owned bar in town,” Sabrina said. While she had no problem going to the mortal-owned places, other witches weren’t as open-minded. “Anyway … I guess that get together you mentioned isn’t happening either, right?” 

He shook his head again. “It’s not. But I didn’t want to fake an emergency and worry you, so that was the next-best thing I came up with.” 

“Thanks for that. I don’t know how well you know my cousin, but we Spellmans aren’t exactly known for staying out of trouble.” 

“He mentioned something along those lines,” Nick confirmed. He had heard a story or two about the witch in front of him from her cousin and he could definitely see it, that spark shining through. 

She shrugged a little, unashamed about at least most of the trouble she had knowingly stirred up. Sabrina knew that she should just go home, but at the same time, she wanted to keep talking to the warlock who had come to her rescue. 

“Nick-” 

“Sabrina-” 

Their eyes met when they started talking at the same time, Sabrina biting her bottom lip and Nick chuckling. 

“You first,” he said. 

“I was wondering if you had any plans for the rest of the evening? Were you waiting for someone?” She nodded towards the door. 

“I wasn’t. Well, not anymore. My plans went down the drain a bit before I spotted you trying not to fall asleep,” Nick explained. “Prudence and your cousin had better things to do than show up. Each other.” She scrunched up her nose at his words, something he hadn’t realized he found adorable until now. “Too much information?” 

“When it’s my cousin, yes,” she said, but she couldn’t help the smile tugging at her lips. “But since you don’t have any plans and mine are best never talked about ever again, can I repay you for saving me in there?” 

“You don’t need to repay me,” he insisted, almost waiting for her to try and give him the money her drink again. 

“I do. Ten more minutes of rambling about clay and I would have screamed like a Banshee,” Sabrina countered. “Have you been to Dr. Cerberus’ yet?” When he shook his head, she continued. “How do you feel about a milkshake? My treat.” 

The prospect of spending more time with her had him sold, with or without a milkshake. He wanted to learn more about the witch with hair that shone in the pale moonlight. “Sounds great. Lead the way.” 

“Oh, I just remembered. What where you going to say?” Sabrina asked as she nodded in the direction they needed to go. 

Nick chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck as they started walking, the cold night air brushing over his exposed skin. He should have brought a scarf. “I was going to ask if you wanted to spend the rest of the evening with me.” 

She laughed. “Great minds think alike, then.” 

His tone grew playful. “Besides, you look way too pretty in that dress to be going home already.” He had done his best not to stare too much, but he had been unable not to notice how the dark blue dress that ended well above her knees hugged her in all the right places. 

“Uhm, thanks”, Sabrina said, an eyebrow raised as she felt her cheeks flush a little at the unexpected compliment. She really hoped he chalked it up to the cold winter air. 

Nick saw her blush, but decided to put that bit of information away for later and not comment on it. However, it did fill him with a certain sense of pride that he could get that kind of reaction out of her. 

The rest of their walk was filled with small talk as Sabrina pointed out the most important buildings they passed. Sabrina stopped on the opposite side of the road when they reached Cee’s. 

“That’s where you want to go?” Nick asked, an eyebrow raised. The horror theme was unmistakable, a seemingly permanent dash of Halloween that somehow stood out and didn’t at the same time. 

“It is. Just a heads up. The owner is not a warlock, but he’s married to my aunt, so he knows about witches.” 

“You’ll have to point out the owner to me, then,” he replied. 

“Oh, you can’t miss him, he’s wearing a vampire costume,” Sabrian said, grinning when he chuckled. 

“Of course he is. Well, let’s go then, you lured me here with the promise of a milkshake.” 

They crossed the street and Nick opened the door for her, putting his hand on the small of her back when she entered the shop before him. He thought he felt her tense for a moment, but then she relaxed into his touch. He took in the interior, the diner side of the shop plastered with so many old movie and stage magic posters that he had no idea where to look first. What caught his attention even more though was the book section. 

“Why didn’t you tell me this was also a book shop?” He sounded almost offended that she had kept this bit of information from him. 

“You’re friends with Ambrose, I figured if I mentioned the books, I’d lose you to them before we even got here,” she shot back, grinning when he shrugged a little, an almost bashful look crossing his face. “You’ll get a kick out of this: there’s an occult section right there,” she pointed to the far corner. 

“Seriously?” Nick raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t wrong, he was itching to go over there, his eyes going back and forth between her and the books. 

“Seriously,” Sabrina confirmed, her grin growing bigger. “Go on, I’ll grab us a table and order. Anything I should avoid?” 

“I’m not picky. I have faith in your taste. Although, maybe I shouldn’t, considering your date,” he teased. 

“I told you, Prudence set that up for me as a form of torture,” she insisted. Not in a million years would she have gone on a date with a guy as dull as that if she had known beforehand. “I’ll be over there,” the witch added and nodded in the direction of the booths. 

“I’ll be right there,” Nick answered, wandering off to the books she had pointed out to him. 

Sabrina didn’t get far, Hilda appearing in front of her when she turned around. 

“Hello, love, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be on a date at Dorian’s?” her aunt asked. 

“I was, yeah,” she started, biting her lips as she glanced over at Nick. 

“Is that him?” Hilda looked over as well, scanning the young man from head to toe before nodding in approval. “Ooooh, he’s handsome, darling.” 

Sabrina bit her bottom lip. “No, that’s not him. Because, well, that date didn’t go so well.” 

“That’s not him?” Her aunt raised an eyebrow. “And what do you mean, didn’t go so well?” 

“The guy I was with was so incredibly boring. Watching sage burn is more exciting.” The younger Spellman woman glanced over again. “That’s Nick. He helped me out at Dorian’s with an excuse to leave. Turns out he's that friend Ambrose mentioned, the one who’s moved to Greendale recently.” 

“And … now you’re on a date with him instead?” Hilda asked, trying to follow. 

“No!” Sabrina said quickly, maybe even a little too quickly for her own taste. “Not really. I wanted to thank him for helping me out, so I brought him here for a milkshake. But I might have lost him to the books.” She shrugged a little. 

“Sabrina, you have to come over here, you won’t believe what I found!” Nick called, an excited smile on his face. 

The young witch bit her bottom lip. His enthusiasm about whatever book he had found was endearing, the way his dark eyes shone with excitement, his smile contagious. “Can you grab a table for us, auntie? We’ll sit down in a minute,” Sabrina said. 

“Of course, love,” Hilda answered with a nod, a small smile on her face as she watched her niece go to the young warlock who had provided her an out of her unlucky date. Maybe that initial disaster had been good for something, after all. 

“So, what did you find?” Sabrina asked, her smile widening as she watched him flipping through the pages of the tome in his hands, his eyes scanning the pages. 

“When you said occult section, I didn’t expect to find actual magic here!” He said quietly as not to be overheard. “These are ancient Egyptian rituals, thousands of years old. This is incredible, Sabrina!” 

She peered over his shoulder to look at the pages as well, but her eyes were drawn to his profile, his excitement so clear on his face. He was brimming with energy and she was almost sure that it took every ounce of self-control he had to not lose himself in the book completely. “You should get it,” Sabrina suggested. 

“Oh, I’m absolutely getting it,” Nick agreed as he turned his head to look at her. He seemed to be stunned for a moment at their proximity, but quickly caught himself, an easy smile taking over his features. “Thanks for bringing me here. I wouldn’t have wandered in on my own. At least not for a while.” 

“You’re welcome.” Without thinking about it, she put a hand on his arm, giving it a light squeeze. Sabrina quickly pulled her hand away when she realized what she was doing. “Uhm … should we sit down?” 

“Sure, let’s go,” he said. However, something else caught his eye higher up on one of the bookshelves. “Hang on a second. Is that a book about Houdini’s stage magic?” He tilted his head a little, reading the spine. 

She chuckled, remembering her own words from earlier. She had been right about losing him to the books. After a quick look over her shoulder to make sure no mortal saw her, she nudged the book with her magic, dropping it into her waiting hands. “It is.” 

Nick raised an eyebrow. “Using magic in public like that? Risky.” 

Sabrina shrugged a little. “Nobody could see me.” 

“You’re a rebel,” He noted with a smirk, a glint in his eye. 

“Maybe a little bit,” she admitted nonchalantly. 

Nick leaned in a little, as if he was about to share a secret and Sabrina couldn’t help but lean in as well. “That’s how I like my witches,” he finally said, satisfaction coursing through him when he saw her eyes widen the slightest bit at his words and a hint of that earlier blush returning to her cheeks. 

Sabrina straightened her posture and pushed a platinum curl behind her ear, just to do anything, really. She cleared her throat quietly, trying to distract herself from how warm her cheeks felt again. She barely knew him, how the heaven could he have this effect on her? And why hadn’t Ambrose at least warned her that his friend was a lot more charming than was probably good for him? “Anyway, about Houdini,” she started, pointing at the book she was still holding. “You do know that Ambrose taught him some of his tricks, right?” 

He bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing when she changed the topic, but then his eyebrows snapped up. “He didn’t mention that.” 

“You should ask him about that sometime, then,” Sabrina answered, glad that she managed to distract him. 

Nick took the book from her and flipped through the pages, aware of her eyes on him. “Oh, you can be sure that I’ll talk to him, I want to know all about that. Your cousin has been holding out on me.” He closed the book and put it on top of the magical tome he was already eager to really sink his teeth into. 

“Once he starts talking about it, you won’t be able to make him stop again,” she warned with a fond smile, having been on the receiving end of Ambrose’s stories one too many times. Would she ever admit to actually liking it when her cousin launched into one of his tales? Never. Even if she had a feeling that he knew all the same. “So … how about that milkshake? Or should I give you some privacy with the books?” After being thrown off by his comment earlier, she had regained her footing and felt it was completely valid to tease him a little as well. A slightly lopsided smile pulled at his lips – lips that she definitely didn’t look at a split-second longer than was probably appropriate. 

“As much as I enjoy reading, I know when to put the books aside. For example when a pretty witch offers to buy me a milkshake,” he replied without missing a beat, holding eye contact. 

Sabrina paused for a moment. He was smooth, she had to give him that. “Well then, follow me.” She led him to the booth her aunt had placed a piece of paper on to hold it for them. 

They had barely sat down when Hilda already came over. “What can I get for you, love?” she asked her niece while trying to subtly look at her company. The darkhaired warlock was devilishly handsome, she had to admit, but what really caught her attention was the way he was looking at Sabrina. The small smile, the curiosity and warmth in his dark eyes. Hilda was glad that her little girl – and that’s what her niece would always be to her – had found a better person to spend her evening with. 

“Two milkshakes, auntie,” Sabrina answered before looking at Nick. “Last chance – any preferences?” 

“I told you, I have faith in your taste,” he replied. 

“Alright, then …" she pursed her lips for a second while she thought, “how do you feel about cherry mixed with chocolate?” 

Nick nodded with a smile. “Sounds good to me.” 

“And for me … I think I’ll go with a classic, vanilla and strawberry,” the witch told her aunt. “Oh, and with extra whipped cream.” 

Hilda nodded. “I’ll be back in a minute.” She lovingly squeezed Sabrina’s shoulder as she left to place the order. 

“So it’s not just the owner who wears a costume around here,” Nick noted after she had left. 

“No. When Aunt Hilda applied for the job here, Cee asked her how she felt about wearing a costume on the job. And the rest is history,” Sabrina said with a small smile, remembering the small wedding ceremony they had held at the mortuary with both of them in their costumes from the shop – and the rest of the family all dressed up as well. 

True to her word, Hilda placed the milkshakes in front of them a few minutes later and went back to her place behind the counter, watching as they talked over the sweet drinks, getting to know one another. It was plain to see that the warlock was flirting with her niece, his gaze intense, his smile devilish as Sabrina cast down her eyes for a second before looking at him through her lashes, giving as good as she got, at least judging from the look on his face. 

Sabrina dipped her spoon into the whipped cream on top of her shake and hummed in appreciation when the flavor hit the spot. She felt Nick’s eyes on her and bit the inside of her cheek, realizing what that might have sounded like to him. “They add a bit of real vanilla, not an extract or anything, to the whipped cream if you order a shake with vanilla, so … there’s absolutely nothing boring about that,” she quickly explained. 

“Hey, I didn’t say anything. I don’t think vanilla is boring, anyway,” he replied and picked the cherry from his own shake as he watched her dig into the whipped cream again, closing her eyes when the spoon passed her ruby lips. “Can I try it?” Nick asked, holding up his own spoon. 

“Sure, go ahead,” she offered, pushing her shake in his direction and watched with a grin as his eyes widened a little once he got a taste. “Told you.” 

“Okay, I get why you ordered extra,” he said. “I’m probably going to steal some more of that if you’re not careful.” 

Conversation flowed easily between them and Sabrina wasn’t sure if she was starting to experience a sugar high from the milkshake or if it was simply Nick’s shameless flirting in its own right that made her giggle every once in a while. His chuckle sent the best kind of shiver down her spine and she tried her best to hear more of it. 

Nick took a chance when he proved that he could tie a knot into a cherry stem with his tongue, well aware of Sabrina’s eyes on his mouth. But it was only fair, the way she tended to bite her lower lip once in a while was far too distracting and he wondered if they would taste like vanilla if he kissed her now. 

When they had no excuse to stick around any longer and were some of the last customers, Nick paid for his books and they left the shop, both reluctant to part ways just yet. After Sabrina mentioned that she was going to walk home instead of teleport, he took it as a sign and offered to walk her home, glad when she accepted. 

It started snowing only a few minutes later, big white flakes dancing in the streetlights, getting caught in their hair and on their clothes. Sabrina noticed how pretty the contrast of the snowflakes in Nick’s dark hair was and laughed when he shook his head to get rid of some of them at least. 

“So, do you do this a lot?” he asked a while later as they crossed through the woods. Most of the snow got stuck in the trees, but there were still enough flakes coming down around them to dot her red coat. 

“What, walk home?” she raised her eyebrow at the question. 

“Walk through the woods alone at night,” he clarified. It had been her suggestion to take the shortcut after all. 

Sabrina shrugged. “Sometimes. I’m a witch, so there’s nothing to be afraid of.” 

She had a point. Any animals roaming the woods at night wouldn’t attack her anyway and good luck to any mortal who tried to get the jump on a witch. 

“Besides, can’t you feel the magic surrounding us? These woods are so old, there’s that spark in every branch and leaf, every blade of grass,” Sabrina continued, her fingertips brushing over the mossy bark of a tree they passed as they entered a clearing. 

“You’re right, there’s energy all around us,” Nick agreed with a smile. And why not use that energy the woods seemed to supply them with so freely? He stopped and picked up a branch from the ground, making quick work to draw a simple summoning circle into the snow. 

“What are you doing?” she asked, watching him. 

“You’ll see in a second.” Tossing the branch aside, he winked before mumbling a quick incantation. A moment later, parts of the clearing were illuminated with soft light. 

Sabrina smiled when she realized what he had done. “You summoned fireflies?” 

“Well, hell’s version of them, but yes,” he confirmed as he crossed the distance between them, smiling as well as he watched her gaze follow the small creatures dance between the snowflakes, their light bouncing off of spots of white. “I thought a bit of light wouldn’t hurt so we don’t trip over any roots.” 

“This is beautiful,” she answered, her eyes still caught on the bug-like creatures. When she turned to him, she realized how close they were, but she didn’t back away. There was something about him that drew her in, had really done so when she had seen him first at the bar. “Thank you, Nick. You turned tonight on its head for me in the best way.” She reached up and brushed a bit of snow off of his shoulder, holding his gaze with a soft smile on her face. The way he looked at her, the unguarded smile on his face – it all made her wish he’d kiss her. If he didn’t do it soon, she was sure that she would. Sabrina bit her bottom lip to stop herself from closing the distance right then. 

“You’re welcome,” Nick said quietly, his smile the mirror image of hers as his eyes dropped to mouth, the way she bit her lower lip drawing him in. Praying to Satan that he had read the signals right, he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, tentative at first. When he felt her smile widen slightly, his kiss became more insistent as he put his hands on her waist, pulling her a little closer. Maybe he was imagining things, but he was sure that he tasted faint traces of vanilla on her lips, a new favorite. 

Sabrina leaned into him, the hand she had on his shoulder slowly moving up until she could bury it in his hair as his tongue teased at the seam of her lips. She sighed when one of his hands traveled to the small of her back, holding her closer as she allowed him to deepen the kiss. Somewhere in the back of her mind a small voice said that she barely knew him and probably shouldn’t kiss him like that in the middle of the woods, but the feelings he stirred up in her just with a kiss quickly drowned out that voice, her entire body tingling and seemingly a million butterflies running rampant. 

She hadn’t even realized that they had moved until she felt the trunk of a tree brush against her coat. With a little more force than intended she pulled him closer as she leaned on the tree for support, bumping into the old stem, rattling it a little. A moment later, snow rained down on them from the branches higher up, making her squeak in surprise and Nick gasp as the frozen crystals went down the back of his jacket. 

They looked at each other wide-eyed for a moment before bursting into laughter. Nick brushed his lips over hers again, but nothing came from it, both of them laughing into the soft kiss. 

“You look like a snowman,” Sabrina said as she started brushing the snow from his shoulders and out of his hair as best as she could. 

“So do you,” he answered, “the cutest snowman I’ve ever seen.” He freed her platinum curls from the snow as much as possible, his hands then drifting to her shoulders to do the same. “I guess that was a sign to get you home, though.” 

Sabrina sighed. “It probably was.” On a whim, she grabbed his hand, smiling when he interlaced their fingers. “Don’t you need to get rid of the summoning circle?” 

“Hang on.” A gust of wind blew fresh snow over the lines he had drawn, the snow blending together. 

She rolled her eyes, a small smile on her lips. “Show-off.” 

“I do what I can,” he said with a wink before leading her out of the clearing, the fireflies illuminating their way until he banished them at the edge of the woods. 

A while later, they stood at the foot of the steps leading up to the mortuary, the banister digging into Sabrina's back as she leaned against it. Nick’s hands where in her hair as he kissed her deeply, her own slowly moving up and down his back as she held onto him. Her knees felt a bit wobbly at the intensity of his kiss and she couldn’t remember when a simple brush of lips had drawn this type of reaction from her. 

She pulled away, gasping for air, and Nick rested his forehead against hers, his eyes still closed. “When can I see you again? Please tell me I can see you again,” he babbled, already leaning in for another kiss. 

Sabrina put her hand against his shoulder, giggling at his jumbled words as she pushed him away a little bit. “Nick, we’re making out in front of my home,” she pointed out. 

“I know,” he said, opening his eyes, taking her in. Her hair was a mess, her lips slightly swollen – his doing filled him with a sense of accomplishment. The way her eyes shone with mirth made him want to kiss her again, the urge almost overwhelming. 

“I think it’s safe to say that I want to see you again. Soon,” she added, pecking his lips again. 

“How about tomorrow?” he asked, a smile taking over his face. 

“Tomorrow sounds perfect.” 

Nick gave in to the urge and kissed her again, deepening it as she gasped when he gently tugged her closer. 

They lost track of time, lost in each other, until a meow made Sabrina pull back again. 

“Salem, what are you doing outside? You hate snow,” she gasped, trying to catch her breath. Her familiar meowed again and she sighed. “You can tell Ambrose that I don’t need a chaperone, thank you very much.” Salem yowled again, making her roll her eyes. “Go inside, I’ll be there in a moment.” 

Nick chuckled at the exchange and gently pushed a curl behind her ear that had gotten out of her headband. Probably – definitely – his doing. “His familiar?” 

“You’d think, but no, Salem is my familiar. Ambrose just bribes him with tuna all the time to do his dirty work,” Sabrina explained. “But I should probably go inside before he comes back, trying to earn some additional treats.” 

He laughed. “Alright. So … tomorrow. I’ll pick you up at seven?” 

She nodded. “Sounds perfect. What are we going to do?” 

“Leave that to me.” Nick brushed his lips over hers again before stepping away from her. “Good night, Sabrina.” 

“Good night, Nick,” she answered with a smile and walked up the stairs, smiling at him as she closed the door. She was met with the raised eyebrow of her cousin and a smug smile on Prudence’s face. “Don’t say a word,” she warned them. 

“You look like you had a good night, Sabrina,” Prudence said, ignoring her warning. 

“And from what Salem told us, the guy who made it good for you didn’t look like your date. Who would have thought, cousin,” Ambrose added, a wide grin on his face. 

Sabrina put her coat away. “Good night, to all three of you,” she simply stated, looking at her traitorous familiar cleaning his face innocently on the stairs as she walked past him on her way to her bedroom. 

*** * * * *  
**

A week after Lupercalia, Sabrina and Nick were curled up together on the couch at the mortuary, watching a movie. Or at least they had tried to for all of fifteen minutes, then Nick had lost interest and had started kissing her neck instead. At first, Sabrina had tried to stop him, they were watching this movie because he hadn’t seen it, after all, but she quickly gave and turned around, capturing his lips in an innocent enough kiss. 

Soon enough, she was perched in his lap as they kissed, one of her hands buried in his hair, the other under his shirt, her fingertips ghosting over his abs. His own hands had wandered under her sweater, caressing the soft skin of her back. Ever since Lupercalia, they couldn’t keep their hands off of each other – or rather, even more so than before. 

Leading up to the celebrations, they had spent almost every evening together, getting to know each other. They had taken walks around Greendale, the town very much resembling a winter wonderland, at the witching hour, had gone to dinner or the Paramount, more often than not ending up at Cee’s, sharing milkshakes or curled up on the same side of a booth with a book they were reading together. They even tried their hand at a couple of the rituals in the book Nick had found on their first trip to Cerberus Books, slowly progressing to the more complex magic in there. 

When Lupercalia finally came around, it hadn’t even been a question anymore if they wanted to participate in the holiday together – and suddenly, Sabrina understood what all the fuss was about. Experiencing all of that with Nick had been so much better than she could have ever imagined, the bond between them growing stronger every day. 

On the second day of Lupercalia, Nick had surprised her with a bouquet of red roses in the morning and brought her over to his place for a Valentine’s Day breakfast where he had gone all out on the clichés. When Sabrina had asked him what that was about, he had told her since she had two sides, witch and mortal, she should get to celebrate both holidays. She had cut him off with a kiss and pulled him to his bedroom, throwing their plan to abstain until the third night of Lupercalia out the window. That had been a stupid idea anyway. 

Sabrina didn’t even mind having to put up with her cousin’s teasing about how smitten both of them were every time he saw them together, she was too happy to care. 

“Oh for hell’s sake, cousin, can’t you contain that to your room?” Ambrose said as he walked into the living room, Prudence in tow, making them jump apart like children caught with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar. 

“I didn’t realize anyone else was home,” Sabrina answered, pressing her lips together afterwards. She moved to climb off of Nick’s lap, but his hands were on her hips, holding her in place. She rolled her eyes with a small smile at the look he gave her. 

“That much was obvious. What were you even trying to do, devour each other?” Amusement colored his voice and Sabrina lowered her eyes at him. 

“Is there anything you want in particular or are you just here to annoy us?” she asked. 

“Annoying you is my favorite pastime, cousin, you know that.” Ambrose laughed when she flung one of the sofa cushions at him. 

“You are welcome for this, by the way, Sabrina. Even if I never heard a thanks,” Prudence threw in, pointing at the couple on the couch. 

She frowned. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. You set me up with that weirdo who would probably marry a piece of clay if he could.” 

The other witch raised her eyebrow, a small, calculating smile on her face. “And why do you think Nick was all alone at Dorian’s that night?” 

Sabrina turned her gaze to him again. “Hang on, were you in on this?” He had told her that Prudence and Ambrose had stood him up, but what if that hadn’t been the case? 

“I have no idea what she’s talking about,” Nick answered, trying to alleviate her concern. He looked at Prudence. “You sent me a message that night that you weren’t going to come.” 

“Oh, we came, don’t you worry about that,” she answered. 

“Prudence,” Sabrina warned. She pulled Nick’s hands off her hips and slid into the seat next to him. 

“Relax, Sabrina. I was very much aware that the guy I set you up with would bore you to death, but I also had a hunch that Nicky here would be exactly your cup of tea. So I invited him to Dorian’s on the night of your date and then canceled when he was already there,” she explained her little scheme. “I figured it would be better if you met on your own, otherwise you would have just assumed that I was trying to mess with you by introducing you to a guy you actually liked.” 

“That was unnecessarily complicated,” Nick commented, putting his arm around Sabrina’s shoulders, relieved when she leaned into his side. “And how could you be so sure we’d even meet?” 

Prudence chuckled. “Oh please. As if you’d pass up the opportunity to swoop in on that sorry excuse of a date and show a girl you consider pretty a good time.” 

He wanted to disagree, but he had to admit to himself that she had a point – that had been exactly what he had done. She had played both of them masterfully and Nick wasn’t even mad as he looked at the woman by his side. “Thanks, Pru,” he said quietly before pressing a kiss to Sabrina’s hair. 

She nestled closer into his embrace and wrapped her arms around his middle. “Thanks, Prudence,” Sabrina repeated his words. “But if you ever think about manipulating me like that ever again, there will be heaven to pay,” she promised. 

“You don’t have to worry about that, Sabrina, trust me,” the other witch answered. “If I had known how disgusting you two would turn out to be, I wouldn’t have in the first place.” 

“Want to be disgusting somewhere else?” Nick asked Sabrina quietly, a smile on his face. 

She looked up at him for a moment and instead of answering simply teleported them up to her room, making him laugh as he realized they were sitting on her bed. Sabrina climbed into his lap again, straddling him as she pushed a wayward curl off of his forehead. 

“As much as I hate to say it, I’m glad Prudence did what she did,” she admitted, using her magic to close the door without breaking eye contact. 

“So am I, Spellman. So am I,” he answered quietly before pulling her in for a kiss, hoping that they wouldn’t get interrupted again. 


End file.
